PRIDE AND PREJUDICE Play Guide by WaterTower Theatre

Play Guide PRIDE AND PREJUDICE // GUIDE //

W R I T T E N B Y K AT E H A M I L L D I R E C T E D B Y J O A N I E S C H U LT Z A DA P T E D F R O M T H E N OV E L BY JA N E AU S T E N

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TA B L E O F

Contents P L AY G U I D E A C K N OW L E D G E M E N T S :

D E S I G N E D BY:

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Emily Holt emilyfightscrime.com

Kate Hamill Chelsea Warren

E D I T E D BY:

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N V I S I T

Kyle Eric Bradford Kelsey Leigh Ervi Kyle Igneczi Garrett Reeves Joanie Schultz

WAT E RT OW E RT H E AT R E .O RG O R C A L L 972 . 4 5 0. 62 32

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE // GUIDE //

01. 02.

T H E P L AY W R I G H T I N T E RV I E W W I T H KAT E H A M I L L

T H E P L AY H I S T O RY O F J A N E AU S T E N

10 RULES FOR BEING A GOOD SPORT

IN REGENCY SOCIETY

03. 04. 05.

OUR PRODUCTION ABOUT THE SCENIC DESIGN

MEET THE CAST

ADDITIONAL UNDERSTANDING FILMS FOR FURTHER VIEWING

L I T E R AT U R E F O R F U R T H E R R E A D I N G

VISIT THE THEATRE I N T E R S E C T I O N S C A L E N DA R

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A N I N T E R V I E W W I T H T H E P L AY W R I G H T :

Kate Hamill Kyle Eric Bradford: So tell me Kate, how did you get your start in playwriting?

KATE IS A NYC-BASED ACTOR & PLAYWRIGHT.

WWW.KATE-HAMI L L .CO M @KATASTI C2 9

Kate Hamill: I got my B.F.A. in Acting, and once I moved to New York and started working as an actor, I was so upset by the profound dearth of women’s roles - and of female-centric story lines. As any female theatre artist can tell you, quite often women in the American theatre are largely relegated to playing smaller roles in support of men’s stories. This means, of course, that we’re often enforcing women’s place as the “other”, and a weaker narrative force culturally. This also translates into fewer opportunities for women overall. I was seeing female artists drop out of the business all around me, and it made me terribly angry. I had always written – my parents are writers – but I had never quite felt a playwriting call, until I started making female-centric stories. I’m particularly interested in leveling the playing field of the classics. I LOVE the classics – I’m someone who weeps every time I see Hamlet – but unless women find more opportunities in that arena, we’re fighting for a teeny-tiny tertiary toehold in millennia’s worth of male-centered stories. So I thought, “Well, what if I could make new, female-centric classics?”

“I wanted to create work for women AND men in female-centered stories, particularly classic work. And that’s how I began.” KEB: Our patrons may recognize your work from a production of Sense and Sensibility at the Dallas Theater Center. What about Austen’s work drew you to adapting it for the stage? KH: As I said, I was initially looking to make female-centered classics, and I LOVED Austen – had loved her desperately for years, I’ve read and dog-eared all the books many many times. She wrote as a young woman, and I’m a young woman, so I felt like I had a natural bond and viewpoint there. I also felt I had a strong point of view on each novel, that’s another important “must” for me.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE // GUIDE //

“I believe very strongly that in stage adaptation, you don’t want to just try to recreate the novel. You have to create your own relevant piece of theatrical art that can stand apart from the novel – even for people who’ve never read the original.” Otherwise, why adapt it for the stage? Why not just let someone read the novel, or heck – watch the BBC versions, which are quite well done? You have to try to do something specifically theatrical – a real piece of theatre, not a film or TV piece – if you’re going to make a play. And you have to have your own point of view; you have to put something important of yourself, your own vulnerabilities, your own questions, your own heartbreaks, into the script. The pages, as Hemingway said, have to bleed. I view adaptation very much as a collaboration between myself and the original creator. Since I love Austen so much (and particularly her stories of women trying to reconcile their own viewpoints with society’s pressures), she’s a wonderful person to attempt to collaborate with. KEB: Games seem to be at the forefront of this adaptation. What inspired you to game-ify this adaptation? KH: Well, for me – and again, this is just my point of view, not necessarily the “correct” point of view – Pride and Prejudice is about how you know if you’ve found the right match in life: “The One,” in modern parlance. It’s about how you know if the connection you feel with a potential romantic partner is, yknow, real or true. And I’m very very interested in the rules society enforces on love, and the mixed results that tend to come from following those rules. We tend to treat courtship and romantic love – which is at the same time very very silly and very very serious – as some kind of a game. “Don’t text her right away / don’t appear too eager / don’t have sex until the Xth date”, etc etc. As Lizzy says in the

play, “[Love has] rules, strategies – wins, losses; and it is theoretically, done for pleasure.” There are even best selling books called “The Rules” (notably geared towards women) and “The Game” (notably geared towards men)! We like to think we’ve evolved so much from Austen’s times, but the truth is that acceptable “rules” in courtship and love are still very strongly enforced, especially for women. I wanted to examine that closely in this play, so I depicted lots of different kinds of love matches: some that work, some that don’t (that’s why poor Kitty Bennet had to die, because I’m so much more dramaturgically interested in the match that Charlotte makes. I killed Kitty to make more room for Charlotte’s storyline; sorry Kitty!). Some characters in this play (notably Mrs. Bennet) play the Game of Love as a deadly-serious martial exercise (note how all of her terminology is war-based); others, like Lydia, are inclined to take it all VERY lightly, and just play for fun; Lizzy, who’s afraid of losing, would rather just not play, altogether. I’m very interested in how these rules, and how these games, affect people’s lives. And on that theme, I really wanted to create a play that felt like “play,” like a game itself; a screwball comedy structure seemed like the best way to reflect love’s inherent state: high absurdity, lots of silliness and drama, and high stakes. KEB: What else are you working on that we should look forward to? KH: Pride and Prejudice is also going up at Primary Stages off-Broadway (as a co-production with Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival) in November; I’m playing Lizzy Bennet in that production, as I did in the world premiere. Being inside this play is super fun, so I’m looking forward to that! In terms of other adaptations, I just finished workshopping Little Women with the Jungle Theater in Minneapolis. I am also working on a new version of The Odyssey which heavily focuses on PTSD; it’s really fulfilling to examine the consequences of war upon both veterans and civilian population. I’m also co-writing the book for a 20K Leagues under the Sea musical with Lee Trull and Shawn Magill, both awesome Dallas-based artists! I also have two original plays in development: The Prostitute Play and In the Mines, and I have S&S, Vanity Fair, or Pride and Prejudice going up at several theaters around the country, so I’ll be bouncing around to those!

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he seventh child and second daughter of Cassandra and George Austen, Jane was born on December 16, 1775, in Steventon, Hampshire, England. Jane's parents were wellrespected community members. Her father served as the Oxford-educated rector for a nearby Anglican parish. The family was close and the children grew up in an environment that stressed learning and creative thinking. When Jane was young, she and her siblings were encouraged to read from their father's extensive library. The children also authored and put on plays and charades. Over the span of her life, Jane would become especially close to her father and older sister, Cassandra. This relationship seems to be mirrored in Lizzy’s relationship to Jane. Jane spent much of her early adulthood helping run the family home, playing piano, attending church, socializing with neighbors, and of course, writing. Her nights and weekends often involved cotillions, and as a result, she became an accomplished dancer. On other evenings, she would choose a novel from the shelf and read it aloud to her family, occasionally one she had written herself. She developed her style in ambitious works such as Lady Susan and Elinor and Marianne, which would eventually be published as Sense and Sensibility. She began drafts of First Impressions, which would later be published as Pride and Prejudice, and Susan, later published as Northanger Abbey by Jane's brother, Henry, following Jane's death. In 1801, Jane moved to Bath with her father, mother, and Cassandra. Then, in 1805, her father died after a short illness. As a result,

the family was thrust into financial straits; the three women moved from place to place, skipping between the homes of various family members to rented flats. It was not until 1809 that they were able to settle into a stable living situation at Jane's brother Edward's cottage in Chawton.

Now in her 30s, Jane started to anonymously publish her works. In the period spanning 1811-16, she pseudonymously published Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice (a work she referred to as her "darling child," which also received critical acclaim), Mansfield Park and Emma. In 1816, at the age of 41, Jane started to become ill with what some say might have been Addison's disease. She made impressive efforts to continue working at a normal pace, editing older works as well as starting a new novel called The Brothers, which would be published after her death as Sanditon. Another novel, Persuasion, would also be published posthumously. At some point, Jane's condition deteriorated to such a degree that she ceased writing. She died on July 18, 1817, in Winchester, Hampshire, England. While Austen received some accolades for her works while still alive, with her first three novels garnering critical attention and increasing financial reward, it was not until after her death that her brother Henry revealed to the public that she was an author.

“There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.”

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE // GUIDE //

EVER SO CLEVER:

The Life of Jane Austen

TEN 8

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RULES FOR BEING A GOOD SPORT IN REGENCY SOCIETY

In the Regency Era, the game of love had a very strict set of rules. Opposing sides of man and woman were both working towards the same goal: marriage. Here are some rules you’d need to follow in order to “net” your partner.

01.

Tip-Off

02.

Scrimmage

A bow or curtsy must be executed according to the status and relationship of the person encountered and with regard to the particular circumstance. I hope you’ve got a strong back because a bow must be made on entering or leaving a room, at the beginning and end of a dance, and on encountering any person one wished to acknowledge.

Only those young ladies who were ‘out' danced the waltz and then only with an acceptable partner, usually someone she already knew, or to whom she had been formally introduced. It would be rather inappropriate to dance with a stranger.

03. Don’t Double Dribble

Debutantes do not stand up for more than two consecutive dances with the same partner. One must be sure not to show too much affection.

04. No Foul Balls

A lady must always speak, sit, and move with elegance and propriety. Overt displays of emotion are considered ill-bred. So practice that cordial smile.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE // GUIDE //

05. Travelling

A lady is permitted to drive her own carriage, but only about the town attended by a groom, or by herself on the family estate. A lady should never drive on the open road or engage in any kind of public contest or race, for surely the men would be shocked to lose to a woman.

06. Out of Bounds

At a formal dinner one does not talk across the dinner table but confines conversation to those on one’s left and right. Ladies are expected to retire to the drawing room after dinner, leaving the men to their port and their ‘male’ talk.

07.

Personal Fouls

A well-bred person behaves with courteous dignity to acquaintance and stranger alike, but keeps at arm’s length any who presume too great a familiarity. Icy politeness is a well-bred man’s or woman’s best weapon in putting ‘vulgar mushrooms’ in their place.

08. Technical Fouls

Vulgarity is unacceptable in any form and is to be continually guarded against. Indiscretions, liaisons, and outrageous behavior are forgivable but vulgarity never is.

09. Backcourt Violation A gentleman calling on a family asks for the mistress of the house if the visit is a social one, and the master if it is a business call. A lady, either married or single, does not call at a man’s lodging for fear of stirring gossip.

10. Goaltending A husband is expected to keep his indecorous activities and less cultured friends separate from his marriage. A wife is expected to be blind to her husband’s affairs, no matter how perceptive.

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A C H AT W I T H S C E N I C D E S I G N E R :

Chelsea Warren W H E R E D I D YO U G E T YO U R S TA RT I N T H E AT R E A N D W H AT D R E W YO U T O S C E N I C D E S I G N ?

As a child, I grew up going to rehearsals and performances of my mother’s opera singing career. Thus, the magic of theatrical storytelling had a big impact on me from a very early age. In undergrad, I studied towards a B.F.A. in Acting and a B.A. in Fine Art, with a concentration in oil painting. Near the end of those studies, I discovered theatrical design and realized it was a potential connection between my two passions. I delved into design when I chose to move to Chicago and study towards my MFA in Stage Design at Northwestern University (where I met Joanie Schultz). With an original equal interest in both scenic and costume design and a career in both (I actually return to WaterTower Theatre this summer as Costume and Puppet Designer for Hand to God), I found myself more and more drawn to set design. As a scenic designer, I have the opportunity to grapple with the larger themes of the play and bring that message into space and create an arena for each story to be told. I love the discussions with the director and collaborating with the design team. As a scenic designer I get to work as a thinker, collaborator, historian, dramaturg, architect, maker of small models, draftsperson, and painter. Throughout the process I feel like a CSI Detective, seeking out the solution to the problem of what would be the perfect world for this play. One of my favorite parts of the process is the first rehearsal, in which I get to share that process and discoveries with the actors who will then take forward our work together, activate the space I have designed, and bring the story to the audience.

W H AT WA S YO U R P RO C E S S I N WO R K I N G O N T H E

of how Kate Hamill brought the story to the stage with such energy and creative hilarity. Although the script has modern aspects, the beginning of the process was diving into time period research. I was living outside of NYC at the time and had the huge honor of looking through gorgeous historic books at the New York Public Library. Then, because the script references gaming throughout, I looked to different physical manifestations of games, and landed on a Basketball Court and Regency Era Ballroom hybrid. This incredible mash-up is the result of the discovery that Axminster Carpets, a common British carpet style of the period, hold a strong resemblance to the layout of a basketball court. With Joanie’s intension to always have the actors on stage and with our sport court theme, we decided on “dug outs” for the actors when they aren’t in a scene and an alleyway configuration of stage and audience. Our goal is to give the audience the vantage point of a basketball or tennis court spectator.

W H AT A R E S O M E K EY E L E M E N T S / FUN BITS OF THE DESIGN T H AT T H E T H E AU D I E N C E S H O U L D LO O K F O R?

Consider which aspects of the design are period specific and which come from the sports arena. Or, where are there sportsregency mash ups? An example hybrid element: the damask pattern throughout the set and furniture, is common in the Regency Era, however the colors, bright purple and teal, come from the bold color palettes of sports teams.

SCENIC DESIGN FOR PRIDE AND PREJUDICE?

Pride and Prejudice has long been a favorite story. A special Aunt gave me the book when I was a young teenager, and the character of Lizzie Bennet soon became a kindred spirit, who I returned to throughout my life. When Joanie mentioned she was directing a new adaptation to kick off her inaugural season at WaterTower Theatre, I was thrilled. Additionally this particular adaptation is so fun and funny! I am in awe

In this story we go to many locations, consider how does the design work to transform into different locations. Look for hidden design elements that reveal themselves as we go to the varying locations. Hopefully we will keep surprising you as the journey unfolds!

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE // GUIDE //

FLOOR RESEARCH PRIDE AND PREJUDICE SD: CHELSEA WARREN

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OH, DEAR! LET US INTRODUCE

The Cast MR. BINGLEY & MARY JUSTIN DUNCAN

MR. DARCY JOHN-MICHAEL MARRS

LY D I A & L A DY CATHERINE

JANE & MISS DE BOURGH

STEPH GARRETT

K A T E PA U L S E N

MR. BENNET & CHARLOTTE LUCAS

MR. WICKHAM, MR. COLLINS, & MISS BINGLEY

BOB HESS

BRANDON POTTER

LIZZY

MRS. BENNET

JENNY LEDEL

W E N DY W E L C H

P R I D E A N D P R E J U D I C E / / P L AY G U I D E / /

Additional U N D E R S TA N D I N G

FURTHER VIEWING

Try the BBC’s 1995 miniseries starring Colin Firth as Darcy, and Jennifer Ehle as Lizzy if you’re looking for 6 hour long episodes of story closer to the book. The 2001 film, Bridget Jones’ Diary, a modern reinterpretation of Pride and Prejudice. The 2004 Bride and Prejudice, if you’d like a modern adaptation with a Bollywood flair. The 2005 film starring Keira Knightley as Lizzy and Matthew Macfadyen as Darcy, for a more condensed and modern telling. The 2007 film, Becoming Jane which creates a story of Jane’s youth and romance with a young Irishman. The 2016 film Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, if you enjoy a little undead horror with your Regency romance.

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“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book!” JA N E AU ST E N, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE